The Actions reveal the Heart

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

~Matthew 6:21~

You can tell where people put their treasure in, you can tell when they desire something so greatly that it outshine everything else in their life, you can tell... by their pursuit. 

I used to struggle with understanding an issue that I was dealing with a few years back. I struggled with understanding why people stereotype the flexibility of their punctuality due to their culture. This is what people here in the West term as 'International time', where people of different culture always tend to be late for things. This was an issue that I had to learn to deal with as I learn to be patient and understanding towards those that seem to be late for events. 

So I allowed for cultural factor to be considered into people's reason for being late. But of late, I somehow do not seem to buy this excuse anymore. Here is the reason why...

The people who claim that it is culture that defines their lax of punctuality, do not seem to practice it for their work or classes. When I see how some people tend to come late for church meeting and so forth, makes me wonder why are they coming late for church when they have no problem trying to be on time for their classes or their work. What shameful excuse it would be if they were to explain that they could not afford to be late for class or work simply because their jobs or grades will be at stake.

I have personally not confronted anyone with this matter myself and I do not really need to anymore. But more than just the idea of time keeping, it is also the desire of the heart. How can I tell when someone's desire to be legitimate? How can I tell if someone is truly putting themselves into commitment? 

By identifying how they behave on something they take seriousness in...

I have seen how people get so excited to go for parties, games, social events that I do not see them sharing that kind of enthusiasm when coming to church. Adding to the fact that they come late makes it even harder for me advocate for their cultural excuse of time flexibility. So the same that we can identify if someone is truly legitimately committed to a task is by seeing if it measures up with how they pursue the things that they set their heart to. 

I have no confidence of someone telling me that they are willing, and is committing with their utmost desire but then giving excuses of unable to show me that commitment... When I have seen for myself that they have previously displayed that kind of unwavering and unquestionable commitment to something else that they truly desire. For if they are truly putting themselves in commitment, you can tell by their pursuit of it like they pursue every other thing in their lives that they deem to be important.

Is God more important than grades or jobs? Are relationships and marriage more important than careers and dreams? People can tell where your heart is, by the HOW you run after it.